Two offers: Host A €0.99/mo year one, Host B €8/mo flat. Pick A. Year two: €11.99/mo + backup + domain + paid cert — ~€420 over 36 months vs ~€288 at B.
Intro pricing shapes much of the market. The useful question: what do you pay once the promo ends at the same service level?
Comparing promo carts is buying a trailer — not the full film.
Decompose year one
Promo vs catalog hosting, free then expensive domain, cert, backup, paid support, tacit renewal.
| Line | Y1 promo | Y2 | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | €12 | €144 | >200% gap |
| Domain | €0 | €18/yr | Lock-in |
| Backup | Free | €5/mo | Risk |
36-month TCO method
Same config on 2–3 hosts: space, traffic, backup, domain. Compare tool + domain renewal. Note egress if cloud.
Contract red flags
Auto-renewal, Y2/Y3 price, pre-checked cart options, outbound transfer cost.
The peak: inertia at renewal
Read renewal as strategic signal
Intro pricing is not limited to small shared plans. Public clouds offer welcome credits; registrars bundle domain and hosting; free certs turn paid. Inquiry rebuilds the mature basket: same resources, backup options, support level, egress volume on object storage.
Ask in writing for month-thirteen catalog price, not only promo screenshot. Five euros per month seems small; over thirty-six months with three add-ons it becomes two hundred euros. Cross-read domain renewal if the name is bundled.
Go further with the inquiry
Apply the article to your concrete case: what volume, what service level, what contractual constraints from clients or regulators? Write answers before opening the pricing page. Request written documents — full grid, DPA, certification scope, renewal terms — not homepage screenshots.
Compare at least two providers via the directory and compare tool on identical thirty-six-month assumptions. Share the short list with whoever signs the contract and whoever operates infrastructure daily. Archive terms dated at subscription so due diligence is defensible later.
Go further with the inquiry
Apply the article to your concrete case: what volume, what service level, what contractual constraints from clients or regulators? Write answers before opening the pricing page. Request written documents — full grid, DPA, certification scope, renewal terms — not homepage screenshots.
Compare at least two providers via the directory and compare tool on identical thirty-six-month assumptions. Share the short list with whoever signs the contract and whoever operates infrastructure daily. Archive terms dated at subscription so due diligence is defensible later.
Read renewal as strategic signal
Intro pricing is not limited to small shared plans. Public clouds offer welcome credits; registrars bundle domain and hosting; free certs turn paid. Inquiry rebuilds the mature basket: same resources, backup options, support level, egress volume on object storage.
Ask in writing for month-thirteen catalog price, not only promo screenshot. Five euros per month seems small; over thirty-six months with three add-ons it becomes two hundred euros. Cross-read domain renewal if the name is bundled.
Read renewal as strategic signal
Intro pricing is not limited to small shared plans. Public clouds offer welcome credits; registrars bundle domain and hosting; free certs turn paid. Inquiry rebuilds the mature basket: same resources, backup options, support level, egress volume on object storage.
Ask in writing for month-thirteen catalog price, not only promo screenshot. Five euros per month seems small; over thirty-six months with three add-ons it becomes two hundred euros. Cross-read domain renewal if the name is bundled.
Decide and move forward without blind spots
Start by framing your real scenario on one page: volumes, client constraints, required support level, and a thirty-six-month budget including domain, backup, and essential add-ons. Compare at least two hosts via the directory and compare tool with identical assumptions, archive pricing grids dated on subscription day, then have both the contract signer and daily infrastructure operator validate the short list.
Frequently asked questions
How to compare promos?
Project 24–36 months: catalog price, domain, cert, backups, support, egress. Same traffic and storage.
Is intro pricing misleading?
Not illegal if clear — misleading if it hides 5× renewal or vital paid add-ons year two.
Avoid all promos?
No. Use promo to test support and load; decide on TCO and restore proof.
Check before signing?
Auto-renewal, Y2/Y3 price, exit cost, default cart options.
Year one says a lot — especially what you pay when the promo vanishes.